Egg carton



April 1, 1952 w, LENNON 2,591,446

EGG CARTON Filed Dec. 12, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 April 1, 1952 .1. w. LENNON 2,591,446

I EGG CARTON Filed Dc. 12, 1947 I 2 saws-sum z Ill IIIHIm: g

Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EGG CARTON James Warren Lennon, St. Paul, Minn., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Shellmar Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application December 12, 1947, Serial No. 791,367

Egg cartons have been manufactured for some time formed of paper pulp or similar material and shaped to accommodate a number of eggs. These cartons are often molded to provide pockets or cells into which the eggs are placed and these cells serve the purpose of spacing the eggs apart. In some instances these egg cartons have been formed with two pan shaped sections hingedly connected together along a fold line so that one section will rest in superimposed relation upon the other. It has been found that in some instances the top section has a tendency to shift relative to the bottom section. The only point of connection between the twq sections lies at the hinge or fold line. As the molded pulp 'is often somewhat soft and yielding in character,

this hinge line may at times become distorted to allow relative sliding movement between the two sections. In some instances the bodies of the sections may themselves distort sufliciently to allow relative movement. As a result the eggs are often damaged by the sliding of the top section relative to the bottom section.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a two part egg carton of molded pulp or of similar material which is so constructed as to inhibit relative slidable movement. Cooperable means are provided on the top and bottom sections of the carton to prevent sliding movement when the sections of the carton are in superimposed relation. As a result the carton is held in 3 proper shape and the eggs remain undamaged.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an egg carton having two sections formed of molded pulp and hingedly connected together, and in the particular manner in which these sections are formed. The bottomsection includesa series of cells into which the individual eggs may be inserted. The top section comprises 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-2.5)

upper surface of a spacing post of the lower section so that the two posts combine together to resist compression on inward flexing of the upper .section.

An added feature of the present invention lies in the provision of an egg carton having two sections equipped with abutting posts and to provide a means of interlocking these posts so as to hold the sections from relative movement.

An additional feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a pair of opposed flanges on the edges of the two sections opposite the foldably connected edges thereof. A seal or stamp may be afiixed to the carton at this point in such a way as to make it necessary for the stamp or seal to be broken before the eggs may be removed. As a result the eggs may be delivered to the customer in a sealed condition to prevent substitution or handling of the eggs.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification: M

Figure l is a top plan view of my egg carton in open position showing the construction thereof.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the carton shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the carton shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the carton, the position of the section being indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one end of a carton showing a modified form of construction.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the posts of my carton showing the construction thereof.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the cooperable ends of a pair of opposed posts, showin a modified form of construction.

Figure 9 is a sectional view through the cooperable ends of opposed posts of modified form.

The carton A illustrated in Figures 1 through 4 of the drawings includes a pair of pan shaped sections [0 and H which are connected together along a connecting fold line I 2. In open position the two sections may rest upon a common supporting plane. In closed position the top section l0 folds over upon the bottom section I I and is supported thereby.

As best illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. the section II includes a series of egg receiving projections 14 and are all in alignment with the s end projections H. In the particular structure shown partition walls 26 extend between each of the posts and the aligned projections -l 4. Aligned partition walls 2'! connect the various posts described. Additional aligned partition walls 29 connect the posts with the inwardly projections H of the end walls. These partition'walls "29 extend between the posts 2| and 25 and the adjacent projection II.

The section II is provided with an outturned marginal flange extending about the same. The tops of the inwardly extending projections 14 and I! are substantially in alignment or co-planar with the adjacent portions of this marginal flange 30. The upperextremitiesof certain of the-posts separating the eggcells also extend onto the plane of the peripheral flange 30. For example the upper ends of the posts 2|, 23, and 25 may be on "the same plane as the flange 30. In some instances the flange 30 may be off-set at 3| so that the portion 32 of the flange 35 which is most closely adjacent the upper section It may be on a somewhat higher plane than the remaining :portion .33 of this flange. This off-set flange structure, however, is not by itself claimed as a novel :feature in the present invention.

Theupper section Hl comprises a generally pan shaped enclosure having a generally flat base surface 34 and outwardly tapering walls. The longitudinal tapered walls 35 and 36 lie over the side walls 16 and l5 respectively of the lower section H in closed position of the carton. Inclined end walls 31 and 39' lie above the slanting side walls It and 2B of the base section. A marginal flange, indicated in general by the numeral 40,'encircles the upper section 10. This flange 4i) may be formed in two parts connected by opposed ofi-sets 4|.

The portion 42 of theflange 40 which is most closely adjacent the lower section ll may be on a somewhat lower elevation in open position of the carton than the remaining 'flangeanortion 43. In closed position of the box the flange portion 43 rests upon the flange portion 33 of the flange 30, while the flange portion 42 restsupon the flange portion 32. In this way an opening 44 may be provided in the ends of thecarton between the two sections to serve for ventilating purposes. As previously mentioned this feature is not specifically claimed alone in the present application.

. V i It will be noted that the upper surfaces 47 and '5ll of theposts 45 and 22"resp'ectiv'ely are divided into two surface "areas connected along elf-sets.

The upper surface 41 includes surface portions 52 and 53 which are connected along the off-set 54. The surface 50 of the post 22 is formed of two off-set portions 55 and 56 connected along the off-set 51. In closed position of the carton, the surface 52 abuts against the surface 55, while the surface 53 abuts against the surface 56. The off-sets 54 and 5'! form shoulders for preventing the top section 10 from sliding relative to the bottom section II.

The upper surface 49 of the post 45 is divided into two surface areas 59 and 50 connected by an off-set 5!. The upper surface 5| of the post 24 is similarly provided with two surface portions 62 :and 63 connected together along the off-set 64. The surfaces 59 and 62 abut in closed position of the carton as do also the surfaces and. 63. The off-sets 6| and 64 form a shoulder which prevents lateral movement of the top section 10 relative to the bottom section II in closed position of the carton.

An inward projection t5 is provided'in thefront carton wall 35 of the top section T0 in opposed relation to one of the inward projections M on the carton side wall iii of the lower section .I l. The top surface 65 of the projection 65 extends flush with the flange d5. Accordingly when the two sections of the carton are folded into superimposed relation the upper surface 61 of the central projection idabuts against the undersurface 66 of the projection so as to provide pair of flat bearing portions in parallel relation. As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings a stamp or seal 69 comprising a flat strip of gummed paper or the like may be folded over'the free edges .of the sections H] and H and adhered to the flat surfaces on opposite sides of the abutting flanges. As a result the flanged edges may be sealed together at a point opposite 'the'hinge line between the two sections so as to maintain the two sections closed until the carton is sold. Thus the eggs remain sealedwithin the carton until they reach the consumer and remain untouched and enclosed during this time. This action prevents the substitution of eggs .in the carton and also insures the fact. that theeggs which reach the ultimate consumer-are the ones packed originally in the carton by the eggproducer.

n will be noted that the off-sets 54 and .51 cf two abutting posts extend generally parallel "to the longitudinal center of the carton while the off-sets iii and G l-may 'extendtransversely'offthe longitudinal center thereof. As -a result :the top section maybe prevented from sliding in two directions. The off-set engagement between-the posts acts to moreeifectively lock thetwo sections from movement "when closed thereby, preventing injury to the eggs contained.

If desired the off-sets in the abutting posts may be so arranged so all extend parallel tothe lon gitudinal center of the carton, or may all be 'arranged parallel to the transverse center of the carton. 'InFigure 5 of the drawings for-exam- .ple, I disclose a carton B which is identical to the carton relative to theother is definitely-prevented in a forward and rearward direction.

In the carton C illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings a structure is shown which is identical with the carton A, with the exception of the fact that all of the posts of the carton are provided with upper surfaces having elf-sets parallel to the transverse center of the carton. The posts 15 and 15 are provided with upper surfaces 11 and 19 respectively having off-sets 8i] and El therein which are parallel to the transverse axis of the carton. By reversing the off-sets on pposite sides of the transverse center of the carton, the top section of the carton C may be prevented from moving laterally in either direction.

The construction of the off-sets or shoulders on the posts is illustrated in detail in Figure '7 of the drawings. This figure shows posts such as 45, 45, 19 and 15 having a centrally located shoulder which prevents the shifting of the upper section of the carton relative to the lower section thereof. The shoulder need not extend the entire area of the pest. A modified arrangement is illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings in which the posts interlock to prevent movement of one part thereof in any direction relative to the other part. With such an arrangement a definite interlock between the sections of the carton in closed position of the carton is effected. As illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings the post BI is provided with two sector shaped projections 82 and 83 thereupon. The cooperable post 84 of the other section is provided with two sector shaped projections 85 and Biwhich are angularly spaced relative to the projections 82 and 83. A sector shaped recess 81 is provided between the projections 82 and 83 and similar sector shaped notches or recesses 99 are provided on the post 84. Thus the projections 82 and 83 extend into the notches 89, while the projections 85 and 85 extend into the notches B1. In closed position of the carton the posts abut, with the ends of the various projections resting against the bases of the notches or recesses of the cooperating post. As a result the top wall of the carton is thoroughly reinforced against compression and at the same time the posts interlock so that no lateral movement may take place between the sections in closed relation thereof.

In Figure 9 of the drawings I disclose a modified form of construction. In this figure the posts 90 and 9| are generally similar to the opposed posts 45 and 22 or the opposed posts 48 and 24, except for the shape of the contacting post ends. The post 99 is provided with an integral rounded projection 92 on its extremity. This projection fits into a rounded socket 93 in the end of the post 9| When the carton is closed the two parts of the carton cannot shift in any direction due to the interfitting relation of the projection and socket.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my egg carton, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An egg carton including a pair of substantially pan shaped sections hingedly connected together along a fold line, one of said sections having a series of spaced egg receiving recesses therein, spacing posts between certain of said recesses, the other of said sections comprising a cover section and including a top panel and encircling side walls thereupon, said side walls resting upon said first named section in closed position of the carton, and a downwardly extending post on said top panel extending into abutting relation with one of said posts of said first named section, and cooperable shoulder means carried by said abutting posts and holding said two sections from lateral movement in one direction at points spaced from the side walls of said sections.

2. An egg carton including a pair of pan shaped sections foldably connected together, one of said sections including a series of egg receiving recesses and spaced posts projecting upwardly between certain of said recesses, the other section comprising a cover section having a top panel and encircling side wall panels designed to rest upon the first named section in closed position of the carton, a pair of posts projecting downwardly from said top panel into contacting relation with two of said posts of said first named section, and cooperable shoulder means on said contacting posts to hold said sections from relative lateral movement in one direction at points spaced from the side wall panels of the sections.

3. An egg carton including a pair of pan shaped sections foldably connected together, one of said sections including a series of egg receiving recesses and spaced posts projecting upwardly between certain of said recesses, the other section comprising a cover section having a top panel and encircling side wall panels designed to rest upon the first named section in closed position of the carton, a pair of posts projecting downwardly from said top panel into contacting relation with two of said posts of said first named section, and cooperable shoulder means on said contacting posts to hold said sections from relative lateral movement in a plurality of directions, said sections including said shoulder means being of substantially equal cross-sectional thickness throughout.

4. An egg carton including a pair of pan shaped sections foldably connected together, one

of said sections including a series of egg receiving recesses and spaced posts projecting upward- 1y between certain of said recesses, the other section comprising a cover section having a top panel and encircling side wall panels designed to rest upon the first named section in closed position of the carton, a pair of posts projecting downwardly from said top panel into contacting relation with two of said posts of said first named section, and cooperable shoulder means on said contacting posts to hold said sections from relative lateral movement in any direction, said sections including said shoulder means being of substantially equal cross-sectional thickness throughout.

JAMES WARREN LENNON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,331,862 Claus Feb. 24, 1920 1,975,128 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 1,975,129 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 2,160,893 Newsom June 6, 1939 2,217,455 Price Oct. 81, 1940 2,285,129 Schwartzberg June 2, 1942 

